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Washington Nationals Editorial: The Case to Trade for Jonathan Lucroy

By Matt Weyrich

Aug 23, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (20) celebrates with Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett (2) after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 23, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy (20) celebrates with Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett (2) after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Nationals have been rumored to be interested in Milwaukee Brewers’ catcher Jonathan Lucroy. Should the Nats make a trade for the soon-to-be 30-year old backstop?

With less than a month to go until pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, the Washington Nationals’ Opening Day roster has finally begun to take shape. The rotation is seemingly set, the bullpen has undergone a serious overhaul, and the lineup has a fresh new look heading into the season.

The way the rosters stand today, the National League East is up for grabs between the top two teams. The New York Mets boast a star-studded rotation and power-heavy lineup that can give opponents nightmares. Meanwhile, the Nationals are attempting to rebound after an injury-plagued season that saw them fall miserably short of preseason expectations.

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While the Nats’ current roster would certainly keep them in the running for a division title, their lack of depth at the catcher position could prove to be a key weakness for a team with World Series aspirations. Wilson Ramos was given the benefit of the doubt his entire career that given a full season, he would deliver All-Star quality talent. What the Nats saw from him instead, was more than just a disappointing season from their franchise catcher. It was a sign that the team would need to start making arrangements to move on.

Ramos (28) appeared in 128 games for the Nationals in 2015, posting a .229/.258/.358 slash line with 15 home runs, 68 RBIs, 41 runs scored, 21 walks, and 101 strikeouts across 504 plate appearances. Despite setting career highs in games played, hits, and RBIs, Ramos was a below-average hitter and hole in the lineup. In particular, his tendency to ground into doubles plays was one of the biggest drawbacks to putting him in the order. Since 2013, Ramos is one of two players in all of baseball to ground into at least 45 doubles plays while appearing in less than 1,200 games.

Meanwhile in Milwaukee, 2013 All-Star Jonathan Lucroy was undergoing an injury-plagued season of his own, but still managed to post a .264/.326/.391 slash line with 30 extra-base hits in only 103 games. This comes one season removed from a year in which he led the National League in doubles and finished fourth in MVP voting. Yesterday, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote that the Nats and Astros could be interested in trading for Lucroy.

Would Lucroy be an upgrade at the catcher position? Absolutely. He would bring a right-handed power bat to a lineup that could still use a little more protection behind reigning MVP Bryce Harper. What makes him intriguing, however, is the fact that his production doesn’t just come out of the batter’s box. Regarded as one of the best framers and signal callers in the game, Lucroy could be exactly what the Nationals’ rotation needs to reach elite status. He is even regarded as a positive clubhouse presence, something the Nats have been searching for after their hostile team culture was a major aspect of their disappointing 2015 season.

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The price for the Florida-native is high, and expectedly so. Lucroy is owed only a little over $9 million over the next two seasons, and is a premium player at his position. The Nats will have to reach deep into their pool of pitching prospects if they are to acquire him.

Wilson Ramos may be a fan favorite, but his time in Washington is running out. A free agent after the 2016 season, the Nationals’ organization already has their plans for the future. Prospects Spencer Kieboom and Pedro Severino are still one or two years away from making an impact at the big league level, but Kieboom was just added to the 40-man roster this offseason and Severino got his first taste of the big leagues last September. Lucroy would be the perfect player to bridge the gap until their players down on the farm complete their development.

The expectations may not be as high as they were in 2015, but the Nationals are no-doubt World Series contenders. However, in a tough National League that features perennial powerhouses such as the St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants as well as new-look teams like the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks, the Nats have their work cut out for them. Jonathan Lucroy would not just make them a better team, but could turn them into the dominant ballclub that everyone thought they would be.

UPDATE: FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports that the Nationals are among the eight teams listed in Lucroy’s no-trade clause. He could still waive his trade rights, as he has been quoted saying he wants to be traded to a contending team.

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